Battery



May 14,1929.

G. W. HEBBELER BATTERY Filed Aug. 15. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 till atented ay 14, 1929.

PATENT GEORGE WILLIAM HEBZBELER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BATTERY.

Application filed August 15,1925. Serial No. 50,448.

My invention relates to batteries, such as are in common use on automobiles and for radio equipment, and consists in a number oit detail improvements. k

s The main object of my invention is to construct a battery which the ordinary owner may disassemble readily in order to inspect,

clean, repair, or replace parts which may need attention. I also desire to construct a in battery in which the sediment shed by the plates or produced from other sources may be removed from the battery without disassembly thereof.

Another object of my invention is to prolu duce an enclosed battery in which the likelihood oi" short-circuiting the poles by accidental contact therewith of tools or other conducting articles may be eliminated;

Uther objects of my invention are to elimso inate the use oat separate cell jars; to insure ventilation and cushioning of the bottom of the box irrespective of the support provided therefor; to eliminate all operations o'l'" lead-burning in assembling or disassemas bling the cells of the battery; to facilitate the repeated removal and application of the sealing compound to the battery cells; and to prevent sulphating of the battery ter minals and to facilitate the application and removal of the cables to the terminals.

In the accompanying drawingsillustrating a selected embodiment of my invention-- ldigure l is. a top view of the complete battery. j

Figure 2 is a top View of the battery with the lid removed and is drawn on a larger scale than Figure 1.

Figure 3 is in part a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially online 33 of as l igure'2 and in part is a sideelevation of the battery.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section through the battery taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 2 and showing theap'pli cation to the battery of draining ap aratus.

Figure 5 is an en arged detail of t e cable connection and sulphate preventing elements.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective of a bushing referred to below. The battery case is preferably made of vulcanized rubber with the bottom wall 1,

. side walls 2 and end walls 3 all formed inte ally. Suitable rooves t may be provided in the bottomand for the purpose of receiving solid partitlons side walls of the battery- 5 adapted to divide the case into separate cell containing or forming chambers. If desired, partitions 5 may be formed integrally with the bottom and sidewalls oi the battery instead of beingmade of .sep arate pieces inserted in grooves 4. I also prefer to provide integral ribs 6 extending transversely of the bottom of each cell chamber and-forming an elevated support for the battery plates 7. The lower portion of each of ribs 6 is recessed as indicated at 8 to provide a clear passageway throughout the length of the cell chamber.

At one end of each cell chamber I provide a removable drain plug 9 which may be threaded into or otherwise interengaged with the sides of an opening in the bottom of the cell chamber. I have illustrated a preferred construction in which the side of the opening is formed by a winged bushing 10 of fiber or other material inserted into the Walls of the case. The exterior of plug 9 is adapted to engage a tool, such as is indicated at 11 for'the purpose of removing the drain plug. I prefer to provide a drainage vessel 12 with one corner cut away as indicated so that it may be fitted tightly against the bottom and side of the battery case and when so fitted will accommodate the tool 11 so that plug 9 may be removed with vessel 12 in the position shown.

The above described drainage arrangement enables anyone to drain the electrolyte from the case without inverting the battery and without any danger of injury to the person or clothing due to contact with Bit the electrolyte. If the top of the vessel be covered with glass, the protection is complete and at the same time the discharge of the electrolyte or other matter may be observed. After the electrolyte has been removed the cell chamber may be washed out thoroughly by pouring water into the same through the usual openin provided at the top of the cell chamber and by this means any sediment which, may have accummulated on the bot tom of the chamber'g may be discharged through the drain opening. 'l hereupon the plug may be replaced and the electrolyte poured back into the cell chamber without the seal of the chamber ever having been dis" turbed. The above described" construction aflords the layman opportunity to service his battery at intervals and avoid the shortening of the life thereof by short-circuiting ot the cell platesthrough the sediment usually de posited by the shedding of material by the plates.

The positive and negative plates 7 in each cell are respectively united at their upper endsin the usualmanner and are rovided with upstanding posts 13 or 14. he battery terminal posts 14 are smooth throughout most of their length but have a restricted portion threaded for nuts 25 referred to below. Each of the intermediate'posts 13 has its vertical face enclosed by a brass bushing 38 threaded near its upper end and jacketed below its thread with a lead sleeve 39. Each .washcr 19 and extending between the walls of the case and the adjacent partition or partitions 5. Each cover is provided with a central opening 17 which may be closed by a plug 18 in the usual manner.

Around the edge of each cover 16 I provide a groove for receiving sealing means for the cell chamber. This groove may be formed by a rabbet, in the edge of the cover, and the adjacent wall of the case or it may be formed by the opposing sides of two adj acent covers and the top edge of a partition 5 as indicated at 21 in Figure 3. In sealing the cell chambers, I preferably place a strip of flexible material 26 in the bottom of the groove and over it place enough viscous sealing material 27 to fill the groove. The flexible strip may be formed of fiber or of lead-covered metal or may be formed of a combination of these materials. The

object of this construction is to make it posand the upper end of rubber tube 20 and a metal washer42 overlies fiber member. 41. Straps 23 connect posts 13, lying in recesses in the covers 16 and overlying washers 42 and are clamped tightly against said washers by nuts 43 screwed onto thethreaded end of the bras bushings 38, the remainder-of the bushing being protected by its lead jacket 39. These nuts 43, through straps 23, also clamp the covers 16 against the washers 19 on post' shoulders 15. Around each terminal post 14 is a seal 48 similar to that provided around covers 16.

By the use of the sealing elements referred to, the interior of each cell is completely closed from the atmosphere except for vent 17. Nevertheless, the'ordinary layman can easily remove the nuts 43, the sealing strip carrying therewith material 27, and cover 16, whereupon the plates 7 may then be removed and inspected and repaired and the parts then replaced in the reverse order, again making the cell liquid tight. All of the above operations are performed without any lead-burning or other comparatively diflicult operation requiring special equipment and training.

A gasket 49 on the edge of the case acts as a seal and a cushion for a lid 29, preferably of vulcanized rubber, which extends solidly over the case except for spaced openings for the battery positive and negative posts and for openings over the vent 17 leading to each cell chamber. These central openings in lid 29 will receive the cell closing plugs 18. Suitable recesses in the underside of the lid will accommodate the ends of posts 13 and their nuts 43. The lid may be securely fastened to the edges of the case walls by finely threaded machine screws 31 of fiber material, to receive which screws I provide renewable bushings 44 so that breaking of threads will not require a new case or an unsecured lid. Other lid securing means may be provided and I show additional means in nuts 25 which clamp the lid against covers 16, thereby making a firm connection between all parts of the entire battery. structure. The lid 29 engages cover 16, either directly or through the sealing elements 2627, and holds the plates 7 against their supports 6. \Vith the lid in place, the covers 16 of the cell chambers and the cell connecting straps 23 are fully protected against injury by external ob'ects. The case may be recessed as indicate at 46 to provide a finger hold or it may have a handle 7 attached in the usual manner. If desired, both lifting means may be provided.

To facilitate the application and removal gf the caple 30 so the of the attery, provi e a 't amp 32 having ears 33 formefl on its end s t h d ears being provided with transverse openings alignedwith each other and tapered from the outer face of one ear to the outer face of the other car. The cable terminates in a tapered portion fitting in the tapered openthreaded end ing in ears 33 and having 1 adapted to engage a nut 34, whereby the cable may be drawn into secure contact with the ears 33 and the latter may be clamped together to securely engage the terminal post. At 45 in Figure 1 I indicate a lateral extension of cables 30 and obviously the housing may be recessed for such entrance of the cable, if desired.

To prevent sulphatin of the connection between the cable and t e ppet, I provide a housin 35 for each oft eae connections consisting of two sections, an up r section having an imperforate wall a lower section apertured to fit over the post extensection. By filling this housingwith grease or other similar material, the entire exposed areaof the post and cable may be protected from contact with the air which will eliminate .the undesirable sulphating action usually present in batteries of this type.

llfhen lid 29 is in place and housings 35 are applied, i. e., the battery completely installed, there are no projecting metal parts which can be short-circuited accidentally thereby running down the battery or creating a tire hazard, or injury to the person by'enplosion out hydrogen. When the cells are to be opened, a flat wrench is required for nuts a3 and the same cannot be turned so as to engage two posts of opposite polarity. v

The bottom of the case is provided with supporting buttons 50 of rubber or other suitable material to space the bottom 1 from the shell or strap on which it is carried. 'llhese buttons constitute means for cushioning and ventilating the bottom which is always desirable and especially so if the case exterior be formed of wood or other material subject to decay or to-darnage from electrolyte which otherwise might be held in contact with the case.

Ubviously, many details of my invention may be modified without, departing from the spirit thereof as expressedin the appended claims.

ll claim: a

l. in a battery, a group of lead plates having an upstanding lead post, a-sleeve ol? harder metal surrounding the upper end oi said post and threaded exteriorly, a lead jacket about the lower portion of said sleeve forming a shoulder thereon, a lead strap 'litting over said sleeve and resting on said shoulder for connecting said post to a similar postot another cell, and a nutol harder metal than said post threaded on said sleeve for clamping said strap against said shoulder.

Q. lln a battery, a case, cell chambers, plates therein, individual covers for said chambers, .posts on said plates with upwardly facing shoulders, removable straps connecting said posts and extending over said covers and engaging the latter to hold them against the shoulders on the posts and a 'lid resting on the upper edges of said case and extending over said straps and provided with openings for the terminal poles of the battery. I

3. In a battery, a case having side walls and partitions-forming cell chambers, plates in said chambers, covers for said chambers extending between but unsecured to said wall; and partitions, shouldered posts on said. plates extending through said covers and provided with threaded upper ends, removable straps connecting .said posts, nuts screwed on the threaded portions out said posts and clamping said covers against the shoulders on said posts, and a lid extending over said covers and secured to the edges at said case and positively holding said covers, posts and plates inlposition.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiha my 1 signature this 10th day of August, 1925,

. GEORGE 

